The national flag carriers Vietnam Airlines signed a credit contract in
Hanoi on April 22 with Eximbank to purchase a fleet of Boeing 787
aircraft (B787).

Under the terms of the 100 million USD deal, Eximbank will lend the airline money to purchase eight planes.

This
is the second collaboration project between the two parties with the
aim of increasing the transport capacity of the national carrier.

According to Pham Ngoc Minh, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, the first
aircraft will be received in the second quarter of 2015 and supplement
its current 19 Boeing 787s as the carrier gradually replaces its Airbus
A320 fleet, which has been in operation for more than 10 year.

Minh said that the investment will help Vietnam Airlines stabilise its
operations, maintain its service quality and open up more air routes to
meet the rising demands of customers.

Last year, Vietnam
Airlines and Eximbank signed another 100 million USD credit deal to be
spent on four new Airbus A320 aircraft, which have already been
delivered.

Vietnam Airlines is now operating 80 air routes, with over 300 flights connecting destinations.
It plans to expand its fleet to 115 by 2015 and 170 by 2020.-VNA